Like many people, especially those who enjoy playing with words, I like to pick a meaningful word to focus on for the new year. But I'm struggling with choosing it.

There's a creek down the road from my house that I pass by on my daily walks. The walks provide me the opportunity to benefit from forest bathing. Read my blog to learn more about the positive side effects of this daily ritual.

We were meant to live in community. We are encouraged to lift up one another, to celebrate the wins and to commiserate in the losses. To extend that helping hand. To practice kindness, compassion, and grace.

It's the little things that often touch our hearts or make us laugh. It's the little things that help us get through the messy, complicated times of life. What little things brighten your life?

My husband was without his phone for 24 hours. We fueled up at a local gas station, and he placed it on the back bumper of the truck as he turned onto the highway. It fell off and the truck behind us ran over it. It got me thinking about my "need" for my phone.

Watching basketball has become a tradition in our house. Learn more about my love for the game in this week's blog!

I have an old pair of Fiskars sewing scissors. They have iconic orange handles and are still very sharp. I only used them to cut fabric. Until they nearly cut off my son’s thumb. My littles knew not to touch them. We’d talked about why many times. Maybe too many. Perhaps I built up how sharp they were and that the kids weren't to touch them, and it made them irresistible. Who knows? It was an early spring day, and my two girls were out of school on break. My husband was at wo

We reconnected with an old friend, Josh Bauder, last week and had the pleasure and honor of meeting his wife and daughter. Don’t you love it when you can pick up a friendship right where you left off? When conversation and laughter flow like no time has passed. Josh's wife, Chitty, blessed us with her culinary genius and we sat around our table eating and catching up for hours. His daughter, a sweet, shy five-year-old, played contentedly with our dog and the toys we keep for

View from flight to Phoenix I recently attended a writers conference. It was the end of September and still 118 degrees in Phoenix. Hurricane Helene was hitting Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee as we flew from North Idaho to Arizona. One of my favorite authors, Dani Pettrey, was giving the opening keynote address. I've read her inspiring and entertaining books for years and was so looking forward to meeting her. She flew in a day early because she was coming from Florid

Have you ever felt that little nudge? Heard the still, small voice that encourages you to do something? Go somewhere? Make a call? A visit? Send a note? An email? Flowers? I went to visit my grandmother this week at her assisted living facility. It ’s a comfortable place, with a caring staff, good meals, activities, and the opportunity to gather with friends. It has a lovely communal room to gather with family. But I don’t visit as much as I should. It's hard to watch belove

A friend recently mentioned that she longed for a whole day without any responsibilities. A whole day to do just what she wanted without meetings, phone calls, or deadlines. She loves her work and her life. But her heart cried out for a break. It made me stop and think. What would you do with an entire day to do with whatever you pleased? Would you sleep? I know some young mothers who might just choose to do that. A glorious nap without listening for a needy baby. A time to c

I love to bake bread. I learned the basics watching my mom, grandmother and great grandmother. Fresh bread, butter, and honey was a special treat. Special occasions always warranted fresh bread or rolls. My husband and I received a bread machine as a wedding gift many years ago. It was great to have a fresh loaf waiting when we’d get home from work. He will never let me forget the time I forgot to add the yeast. We were having company over for lunch after church, and I was so

We recently witnessed a spectacular expression of the Northern Lights. They lasted for several days and were visible to the naked eye throughout much of the northern portion of the US. I’ve always loved the night sky. I was fascinated by an astronomy class in college. It was enjoyable to discover the many constellations and learn their names. The formation of stars and comets and the activity of the sun continue to intrigue me. Counting satellites on camping trips was a belov

Strolling into the kitchen, I ask the age-old question, what should we have for dinner? Wait , I made a menu this week. Mentally congratulating myself for being organized, I reach for the can opener to use on the tomatoes. It reminds me of an article I read about how it is the dirtiest implement in an average kitchen. Turning to the sink, I wash the can opener. Meanwhile, the water on the stove has been boiling for ten minutes. Grabbing the pasta, I add it to the pan. I gla